Vacuum cleaner



Feb. 25, 1936,

F. RIEBEL., JR., ET AL 2,031,734

VACUUM CLEANER Y Filed Aug. 21, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l' Feb.25',1936. F. RIEBEL; JR., ETAL 2,031,734

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Aul'g. 21, 1953 4.Sheets-Sheet 2 -ll...l--....,..'......., l

y yventom mw? Z www Feb- 25, 1936 F. RIEBEL, JR., ET A1. 2,031,754

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Aug. 21, 1953 I 4 she'ts-sheet s HU@ ff TW MHH" f2 Feb. 25, 1936. F. RIEBEL., JR., ET AL 2,031,73

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Aug. 2l, 1933 Patentedr Feb. 25,l 1936 UNITED STATES 2,031,734 VACUUM ora-anna Frederick Riebel, Jr., Dewey M. Dow, andLachlan W. Child, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Air-Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application August 21, 1933, Serial No. 886,102

14 claims. '(01. 18a- 77) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and has as its objects to provide a cleaner having a much greater suction producing capacity than suction cleaners now available; to provide a cleaner embodying a centrifuge dust separator -oil'ering minimum resistance to passage of air therethrough, and removing all foreign matter, including dust, from the air; to provide a simple, sanitary, and convenient method and means for disposing of waste matter collected by. a centrifuge; to provide a cleaner which eliminates siren noises and is relatively silent in operation; to provide a novel suction producing impeller of high emciency and silent in operation; to provide means for taking the air from .the fan, adapted, not only to aid in the'silenclng but also to reduce the back pressure against the impellerl to a minimum; and to provide an assembly arrangement of the various parts necessary to achieve the above objects, of ample strength and maximum simplicity.

With these and other objects in view our invention consists inthe combination and construction and arrangement of the various p'arts 35 thereof, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying specifications, pointed out in claims,.and illustrated in the acompanying drawings, in which:

tion.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, parts being broken away of the dust separator-mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a view of a partial assembly of the separator.

Fig. 4 is a similar View of a modiied form of the separator.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the air exhaust assembly. I

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the air disposal mechanismtaken on the line 6 5 of Fig. 7.

` Fig. `'1 is a horizontal sectional view of the'invention taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the separator, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views of further modifications.

The cleaner embodies generally amotor housing A, an air disposal duct B mounted thereon, a motor C suspended from the duct B, an impeller scroll D mounted on the duct B, a suction producing impeller E mounted on the shaft of the motor C, the centrifuge separator F, and a separator housing G surmounting the scroll D and Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view of the inven-` cooperating therewith to form a housing for the centrifuge, which may be considered as including the separator F and impeller E.

The housing A comprises a base I0 and a cylindrical skirt Il secured thereto, projecting upwardly and provided at its upper edge with an annular flange I2 to support the duct B.

The duct B is U-shaped in cross-section and spiral shaped 4in plan, including the outer wall I3, which is cylindrical, a bottom wall I4, inclined helically, and an inner wall I5, which is spiral shaped. The duct thus gradually increases in Width and depth from its starting point, to its discharge mouth I1, 360 from the starting point.

The increase in cross sectional area of the duct it all effected in the downward inclination of the bottom wall I4 and the inward spiralling of the inner wall i5, whereby the upper extremities of the walls I3 and i6 lie inra plane and the outer wall I3 is cylindrical, to fit the skirt II.

Motor brackets I3 are formed on` the duct B, and the motor dome I9 is suspended therefrom.

'I'he upper end of the dome I9 is open, the scroll D serving as a cover therefor and as a support for the upper armature shaft bearing 20.

The armature 2i has the armature shaft 22, the lower end o'f which is mounted in a bearing' 23, and the intermediate region of which is mounted in the bearing 20.

The impeller E embodies a hub 24, mounted on the shaft 22, its lower edge resting upon a sleeve which in' turn rests upon the bearing 20. A packing gland 26. is provided in the boss 21 of the scroll D, in which boss the bearing 20 is mounted.

The hub 2l extends into a lower hyperboloidal Wall 28, which is connected to theupper wall or shroud 28 by the vanes 30 (see Figs. 3 and 7) and the impeller blades 3l. 'Ihe outer extremities of the vanes 30 and blades 3i form a series of uniform thickness edges, spaced uniformly and closely together to form a large number of air discharge nozzles of narrow width.

'I'he speed of rotation` of the impeller may reach or pass 12,000` revolutions per minute. With approximately fifty nozzles discharging air jets -into the scroll D, the rate at which these jets will impinge against any given point in the scroll whereat vibrations might be set up, will be so high as to lift the resulting siren noises above the limits of audibility. We find in actual practice that the cleaner will operate very quietly as a result of this arrangement.

'I'he shroud 23 terminates at its periphery in an annular upstanding collar 32, to which is secured the cylindrical wall 33. The wall 33 and the outer region 34 ot the shroud 25, cooperate to form a dust collector casing, which has a cover 35, held in place by frictional contact of the cover flange 35 which receives the upper end of the wall 33.

The scroll D (Figs. 6 and '1) includes an annular ilange 35a which is secured to the duct B as by bolts 31 which extend through the peripheral ilange 33a of the duct, and through the ilange l2 of the motor casing, thus serving to secure the scroll,v duct, and motor casing together.

The scroll is spiral shaped in plan, forming an annular chamber which completely encircles the impeller E, starting at the cut oil. point, where it is quite narrow as at 39, thence gradually widening as it encircles the impeller, until it reaches its greatest breadth at the cut oi! point, as at 40, and thence continues beyond the cuty oii' point as 'at 4I, being separated from the initial chamber portion 39 by the wall 42. The wall 42, where it continues beyond the endv of the chamber 4|, becomes the outer wallA 43 which overlaps the wall 42 as at 50 to form the dischargechamber 4|.

In cross section, the scroll D is channel shaped, including the spiral wall 42, 43, the top wall 44 and the bottom wall 45, of which the flange 35a is a continuation. The wall 45 forms a cover for the duct B for its entire circumference except where it has an arc shaped opening 45, coextensive with the chamber 4|, providing communication between the chamber 4| and the duct B.

The top wall 44 (Fig. 6) is inclined as at 41 from the cut of! point 38, where the chamber 4| is of the same height as the chamber 39, 40, to its junction 48 with the bottom wall 45, where the chamber 4| is merged with the space within the duct B. The slope of the wall portion 41 is less steep than that of the duct bottom wall |4, whereby the discharge air space increases in depth from the cut off point 38 to the position 48, the termination of the chamber 4|. The chamber 4I decreases in width' toward its terminal position 48, the wall portion 50 being truly circumferential of the impeller axis, while the wall portion 42 spirals outwardly.

The inner wall portion 42, at the cut oil point 38, substantially registers with the duct inner wall I5, but the latter spirals inwardly while the former spirals outwardly, whereby the width of the duct increases while that of the chamber 4I decreases.

The bottom wall 45 of the scroll is domed upwardly as at 49 to lt the contour of the bottom wall 28 of the impeller, and to form a cover for the motor dome I9 and a support for the boss 21 in whichthe bearing 20 is mounted.

A modified form of the scroll-duct assembly is shown in Fig. 5, in which the flange 35a of the scroll is mounted on the motor housing and the duct B is suspended from the scroll. The motor suspending brackets lea are formed on the scroll in this form of the invention instead of on the duct.

The separator F includes the collector housing 33, 34, the separator cones5l, and the starting' impeller 52. The cones 5| are truncated, and each has a spider including a flange 53, spokes 54, and a hub 55. (Fig. 3.)

The cones are stacked on the armature shaft 22, which passes through the hubs 55, and spaced by spacers 56, identical in shape with the spiders 54, 55 with the omission of the flange 53, in order to allow passage oi' air from between the cones to the spiders. In assembling, the spokes of the spacers and spiders are registered so as to oder minimum air resistance, and to give rotary impetus to the air.

The lower cone rests against the upper edge of the inlet mouth 55|, formed as the termination of the impeller shroud 25, and against the annular ridge 51 formed on the shroud 29. 'Ihe starting impeller 52 has a trunco-conical skirt 53`which'has a depending annular bead 59 which rests against the flange 53 of the upper cone, and a hub 50 which rests against the hub 55 of the upper cone and receives the upper end of the shaft 22. 'I'he assembly is secured by a nut 5I, engaging the hub 55.

The spacer 55 may be provided with a rim 55a as shown in Fig. 4, and the cones 5| cut away to eliminate the flanges 53 and to space the spokes 54 above the planes of the inner edges of the spokes, whereby spaces will be formed between the rim 55a and the said inner edges.

'I'he housing G is secured by means of a flange 52 to the scroll D, and has a cover 53, secured by clasps 54, and formed with a neck 65, to

which a suction hose for connection to a cleaning A liner 53 of papier-mch or other inexpensive material, is fitted within the collector casing, and supported thereby. It has a bottom in the form of a ring shaped trough 68 curved inwardly and upwardly to t the wall portion 34. Its central opening is suillciently large to clear the separator cones 5| and impeller 52, in order that it may be lifted out of the collector casing as indicated in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the device, a strong suction is produced by the impeller E, rarifying the air within the separator housing G and causing air to flow thereinto through the neck 55. The entering air, laden with dust and waste collected by a suction tool, is set into whirling movement by the starting impeller 52, and simultaneously is drawn around the impeller into the annular space surrounding the separator cones, thence is drawn between the cones in a direction substantially opposite to its entering direction, and thence passes downwardly through the open .spiders of the cones into the impeller E from which it is expelled into the shroud D.

As the air changes direction in entering the cones 5|, heavier particles willbe thrown out of the air stream by their centrifugal inertia., and such of the lighter dust particles as are sucked between the cones, will agglomerate into pellets under the forces oi' centrifugal action and the air streams, and will thence be expelled from the cones, across the inrushing air stream, and will gather together with the heavier particles in a ring of collected refuse indicated roughly by the broken lines 10.

Before the liner shell 58 is filled to this extent, it should be removed. To`this end, the covers 53 and 35 are removed and the shell may simply be lifted by grasping its rim at diametrically op posite points, and lifting it from the separator. The shell and contents may then be disposed of by burning.

The shell 68 may be made of metal or other enduring material, in which case, it is emptied and replaced.

It may be noted at this point that the trough 84, 69 lies below the plane of the bottom of the separator. We find that most of the particles discharged from the separator willcohere to build up a ring against the wall 68 opposite the-discharge mouths of the separator. However, some of the heavler'particles are apt to roll into the trough, and during removal of the shell, a portion of the ring of material will often slide into the trough, which thus functions to retain the loose material and remove it from the casing along with the compacted material.

We iind that by use ofsuch a shell, it becomes unnecessary to invert the entire cleaner in order to remove the collectedfmaterial, or to employ other means for preventing the ring of collected material from partially remaining in the collector casing after the liner has been removed. The entire ring is simply slid upwardly over the separator.

The air discharged by the impeller E will be perfectly clear of dust. As it leaves the impeller, it is guided in a spiral path by the scroll D and duct B, being allowed gradually to expand and to lose velocity until it is discharged into the space surrounding the motor C, from whence it will find its way tothe openings 1| in the motor casing A.

The Ventilating fan 12 of the motor will create a current of air ilowing upwardly through the motor and downwardly through the space between the motor and duct B. This Ventilating current will be assisted by the aspirating effect of the air currents flowing from the discharge mouth I1 of the duct to the openings 1I.

By allowing theair discharged from the impeller to continue in a rotating path while it gradually loses velocity, and discharging this rotating body of air into the casing A only after two complete rotations, one in the scroll and one in the duct, the back pressure against the impeller is considerably reduced, i. e., the efficiency of the impeller is substantially increased, and the noise of discharge is very substantially reduced. y

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8, the cones 5| are surrounded by a cylindrical screen 15, supported in annular grooves 16 in the impeller cone 58 and ridge 51 respectively. The

screen 15 is of wide mesh, not interfering with the throwing of particles through it from the cones, but preventing the collected waste from collapsing as the liner shell is withdrawn, or if the device should be used without a shell, and turned upside down for emptying, preventing the dust filling the spaces between the cones. The screen 15 also serves the function of the screen 66.

The engagement of the screen in the grooves 16 holds it against becoming eccentric to the axis of rotation.

The screen' 15 (Fig. 9) maybe provided at its upper end witha metal ring or hoop, vadapted to maintain the upper edge of the screen in true circular shape, and to resist the stretching force of centrifugal action. In order that it may be,

, rim of the trough 18 of 'a shell 19, fitting within 'usA the casing 33, 34, which shell is of durable material such as metal, and in turn receives the disposable liner 68, 69 of paper or the like.

I'he shell 19 has a rim flange 80 which projects beyond the casing wall 38 so that it may be engaged for lifting the shell from the casing 33, 34.

'Ihe cover 35 in turn engages the flange 80 and may serve as a handle for lifting thte shell 18, 19 from the casing 33, 84, the lingers of the operator being extended through the opening 61 and hooked beneath the cover.

To facilitate removal of the shell, its wall 19 and the wall S3l are made slightly flaring toward their upper ends. The same tapered feature may be embodied in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5 inclusive.

'I'he screen 15 may be formed as a grid 15a (Fig. 10) formed as an upward continuation of the trough 18. The grid will comprise al series of widely spaced upright webs 8l, connecting the circumferential rings 82, the latter being spaced to register exactly with the edges of the cones 5|, and no thicker than said edges, whereby they will oifer no obstruction to the passage of material thrown off by the cones.

The circumferential wires ci the screen 15 may likewise be spaced to register with the edges of the cones 5l, toreduce to a minimum the resistance to the passage of material thrown off by the cones.

The disposable liner may have an infolded ange 83 (Fig. 9) which may be unfolded to pro- .de an extended portion that may be gripped for lifting the liner from the casing 33, 34.

The cover 35 functions to resist the recirculation of air from the discharge of the impeller E, upwardly between the casing F and housing G, exerting a centrifugal pumping effect against any currents owing radially inwardly to the mouth 61, so that the maximum suction effect of the impeller E is transmitted to the neck 65. The small clearance between the mouth 61 .and the neck 65, also aids in reducing suction losses through such recirculation.

We claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a base, a motor housing rising therefrom, a spiral air exhaust duct supported -on the upper edge of the housing, an impeller scroll forming a cover for said duct and having a discharge port communicating therewith, a motor supported on said duct, said motor including an upwardly projecting shaft, and an impeller mounted on said shaft, its periphery forming an air discharge communicating with said scroll.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a base, a motor housing rising therefrom, air exhaust means including a ring shaped duct and an impeller scroll forming a cover for the duct and communicating therewith for al portion of its circumference, a motor supported on said air exhaust means, said motor including an upwardly projecting shaft, and an impeller mounted on said shaft, its periphery forming an air discharge communicating with said scrollfsaid exhaust means being supported on the upper edge of said'housing and the motor depending thereinto.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a base, a motor housing rising therefrom, air exhaust means including a ring shaped duct and an impeller scroll forming a cover for the duct and communicating therewith for a portion of its circumference, a motor supported on said air exhaust means, said motor including an upwardly projecting shaft, an impeller mounted on said shaft, its periphery forming an air discharge communicating with said scroll, said exhaust means being supported on the upper edge of saidhousing and the motor deshaft, neans'supporting said motor on a vertical axis, said shaft .projecting upwardly, a shrouded impeller mounted on said shaft,.said impeller having an upwardly protruding inlet mouth, a separator comprising a series of spaced truncated cones, surmounting. said impeller, for'rotation therewith, said cones haring downwardly and outwardly. the truncated ends thereof being open to form an axial space communicating with said mouth, the top cone being closed, a dust collector casing surrounding said separator and mounted upon the impeller, for rotation therewith, and a spiral scroll, of gradually increasing cross sectional area. surrounding the periphery of said impeller and communicating therewith to receive air exhausted therefrom.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a shrouded impeller, a centrifuge dust separator surmounting said impeller for rotation therewith, the shroud of said impeller daring downwardly and outwardly fromA the bottom of said separator, and a collector casing wall secured to the impeller near `its periphery and projecting upwardly around the separator, the lower extremity of said wall forming together with said downwardly fiaringportion of the shroud, a trough to receive separated solid material, lying below the plane of the bottom of the separator.

6. In 'a vacuum cleaner, a shrouded impeller formed at its periphery with an upwardly projecting flange and having a central upwardly protruding inlet mouth, a centrifuge dust separator surmounting the impeller and communieating with the inlet mouth thereof, and a collector casing wall mounted within s aid ange and surrounding the separator.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, a centrifuge dust separator, a substantially cylindrical collector casing wall surrounding said separator, a trough located between the lower end of said wall and the bottom of the separator, and lying below said bottom, and a removable liner shell including an upright wall to fit within said casing wall and an inwardly extending annular trough to t said casing trough, the inner edge of said annular trough forming a mouth to receive said separator, and of suihcient diameter to clear the separator.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a centrifuge dust separator, a substantially cylindrical collector casing wall surrounding said separator, a trough located between the lower end of said wallandr the bottom of the separator, and lying below said bottom, and a removable liner shell including an upright wall to llt within said casing wall and an inwardly extending annular trough to it said casing trough, the inner edge of said annular trough forming a mouth to receive said separator, and of suihcent diameter to clear the separator,` said liner being of cheap disposable material.

9. In a. vacuum cleaner, a centrifuge dust separator, a substantially cylindrical collector casing wall surrounding said separator, a trough located between the lower end of said wall and the bottom of the separator, and lying below said bottom, and a removable shell including an upright wall to iit within said casing wall and an inwardly extending annular trough to t said l0. In a suction cleaner, a motor, an impeller mounted on the shaft thereof, a scroll surrounding the periphery of the impeller to receive the exhaust air therefrom, a substantially cylindrical housing projecting from the scroll, a centrifuge separator. and a dust collector within said housing, said collector surrounding said separator, said collector including a substantially cylindrical wall, a cover detachably secured to the housing, said cover having a suction inlet neck. and a cover detachablyk secured to the collector casing and provided with a central opening registering'with said inlet neck.

11. In a suction cleaner, a motor, an impeller mountedon the shaft thereof, a scroll surrounding theperiphery of the impeller to receive the exhaust air therefrom,Y a substantially cylindrical housing projecting from the scroll, a centrifuge separator and a dust collector mounted on the impeller within said housing, for rotation therewith, said collector surrounding the separator and including a substantially cylindrical wall, and a cover detachably secured to the housing, said cover having a suction .inlet neck.

l2. In a vacuum cleaner, a stationary cylindri- `cal housing, an impeller rotatably mounted therein, a centrifuge dust separator attached to the impeller, and a collector'casing including a substantially cylindrical wall rotating just within the housing and mounted on-the impellerseparator assembly and surrounding the separator, a cover detachably secured to the housing, said cover having a central inlet neck, and a cover detachably secured to the collector casing and provided with a central opening registering with said neck. Y

13. In a vacuum cleaner, an impeller, a centrifuge separator attached thereto, coaxially, for rotation therewith, a collector casing surrounding said separator and attached thereto for rotation therewith, said separator having lateral circumferential openings for the discharge o1' agglomerated material, and a screen surrounding the separator, interposed between said openings and the collecting space within said casing, said screen being coaxial with the separator and mounted for rotation therewith.

14. In a suction cleaner, a support, a cylindrical housing thereon, provided with an axially located neck providing an air inlet, the axis of said housing' being vertical, a motor carried vby the support, its shaft vertical and projecting upwardly, an impeller mounted on the shaft above the motor, a centrifugal dust separator and a co1- lector surmounting the impeller and rotating therewith, said collector including a cylindrical collector casing positioned within said housing, said casing having a removable cover provided with an inlet opening registering with and communicating with said neck with a small clearance, the impeller having an inlet mouth communicating with the separator.

- FREDERICK RIEBEL, JR.

DEWEY M. DOW. LACHLAN W.. CHILD. 

